Explosive-turbine.



EXPLOSIVE TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1905.

D 1; f 0 l l f e 1 a I J A .1: I I a Z H m I J Z & h j

I J/WEMWR: WITNESSE m 424. W

HA3 ff TIT/ENE) PATENTED SEPT. s, 1907.

HEINRIOH'ZOELLY, OF ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

ExPLosrvE-TUnnmE. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEINRICH ZOELLY,0f Zurich, a citizen of Switzerland,and whose postofiice address is No. 58 Ramistrasse, Zurich, Switzerland,have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating toExplosion-Turbines and in the Methods of Working or Operating the Same,of which the following is a specification.

In the working of explosion gas turbines hitherto used a suitable gasmixture is caused to expand in a closed chamber i. (2., at a constantvolume and after the highest pressure is reached, is conveyed throughthe turbine. The expansion is continued until a pressure is attainedcorresponding'to that in the turbine casing, after which the chamber is.closed and recharged. This methodhas thedrawback that the pressuremedium is supplied to the turbine, running at a constant speed. at veryvarying pressures,'so that towards the end of the expansion the energyof the fuel mixture is insufficiently utilized at the nozzles, owing toa toolsmall fall of pressure and at the wheels owing to the velocity ofthe gas being too small, thereby causing loss of efliciency. 1

The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks Thegases, compressed to a certain pressure, and the air necessary for thecombustion are fed into the explosion chamber just at the moment atwhich the gases expanding therein have attained equal pressure so thatthey are driven out of the chamber at constant pressure. In order toprevent prematureignitionthe air valve is allowed to open slightlyearlier thanthe gas valve so that an isolating cushion is formed betweenthe new and the old charge. After the chamber is nearly filled withfresh mixture 'the gas inlet valve is closed and the mixture is ignitedwithout however the outlet tothe turbine being closed. This ignitionowing to the, extremely short duration oithe explosion, talcesplace-almost as if a constant volume prevailed. After the maximumpressure is reached steam obtairied by the vaporization of water. by theheat given bff'by theturbine is introduced under a pressure equal to theexplosion pressure whereby a lull pres sure period is obtained, as insteam engines with expansion before the cut off .oithe steam admissionand the temperature of the fuel mixture is reduced to such an extentthat the subsequent expansion in the nozzle produces temperatures whichcause no harm to the blades. r After a portion of the whole mixture hasescaped during the full pressure period, expansion'follows,

which however is only continued up to compressor pressure' aiter which,when the latter is reached,''', the inlets open again and fresh mixtureat compressor pressure is introduced in order'to repeat the describedoperation. i t l The characteristic feature of the new mode of worlSpecification of Letters Patent. 7 Application filed May 22,1905. sumNo. 261,583.

Patented Sept. s, 1907.

ing is in the first place the explosionupon theadinis- .sion to theturbine being open,-owing to the rise of pressure and temperature theexplosion signifies an increase in the thermal efliciency; theabsenceoi' closing devices in front of the nozzle renders the processoperative in practice, as such closing means would not be practicable inthis particular case in view of the high temperatures and velocity offlow prevailing. A second feature is the interruption of the expansionat compressor pressure by admitting a charge of fresh mixture .therebyproviding a very favorable proportion of maximum to minimum pressure inthe explosion chamber.

While for instance with an exhaust turbine working at 20 atmospheres(300 lbs) and under ordinary working conditions, the proportion of theexpansion ialls' from 20 to 1, this relation according to the new modeof work- I ing at say, for instance, 5 atmospheres lbs) only, variesbetween the limits of 20, and 20+5=4, atmospheres. The expansion nozzletherefore operates at pressures which are considerably less remote froma mean pressure for which the nozzle is built, than in the presentprocess and consequentlythe mean efficiency in the nozzle as well as theefliciency in the wheel I are eonsiderably higher than usual. To this beadded, thirdly, the introduction oi'steam' under, eit-v plosion pressureso that for a given period the mixture must pass out at full pressure.Thus the energy derived from the steam is more advantageously utilizedthan is possible in any of the knowngas turbine processes.

It is obvious that instead oirgases, liquid or solid -fu'elscan be used,suitably sion chamber.

In the accompanying drawing a turbine ior worl4:ing

'. 9.0' A isthe explosion chamber, B the expansion nozzle, A

under this new process is diagrammatically shown.

introduced into the exploand O the turbine wheel. Air, water andfuelfare I compressed by the pumps D, E, F respectively through i theconduits and air or collecting chambers 'n, m, k, and I conveyed to theexplosion chamb From the pump E the water is first conducted th'rou bythe'exhaust and is here vaporizedlbefore passing to the explosionchamber A.

The controlling'valves or me" beis d, e, allow oi the v introduction atsuitable moments of the various media and are operated by a suitabledevice. The latter isindicated diagrammatically by worm wheels g,."'a,b,- the cam iand' the levers o, i risthe ignition device. g I,Having-now described my ihvstion, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 'is i 1. Ins gas or fuel explosion: turb'lne the comblntlon wlth the explosion chamber andtheturblireyot an al, ays

open expansion nozzle; pumps tor compressing the air, steam and fuel;ndmlsslon valves for these mediate the t oil R, heated explosionchamber, and means for controlling the some whereby the air and fuel aresupplied to said chamber the time when the pressure therein has droppedto be equal to the pressure oi the compressor pumps; an ignition device;and means for controlling the ignition substantially as and for thepurpose specified 2. In a gas or fuel ennloslon turbine the combinationwith the explosion chamber of an expansion nozzle in e nstantcommunication with the i-lplosion chamber, turbine wheel. valves foradmitting uir, steam and fuel to the d plosion chambelg steam generatorheated by the exhaust of the turbine, pumps for compressing the air,steam and fuel and means for controlling the admission of the variousmedia to the explosion chamber and for controlling the ignition,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a gas or fuel explosion turbine the combination with the explosionchamber of an always open expansion nozzle, admission valves for thevarious media to the ex-- noses;

piosion chamber, pusnnn for compre sing the various media, an ignitiondevice, and mean: udlptod to open the air admission valve slightly in ate oi the gas-admission valve, substantially as and fun the purposespecified.

4. In a gas or fuel explosion tor s the combination with the explosionchamber of the niwn ,s open expansion nozzle, admission valves for thevarious media to the explosion chamber, pumps for elm-pressing thevarious media, ignition device and moans inf-outed for igniting theexplosive mixture immediately in min-once of the admission of thecompressed steam to tho pio ion chamber, substantinlly as and for thepurpose sps 2d.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto my hand in presence of twosubscribing witne C l flilltil ZOELLY.

Witnesses CAnL Gnoss, Josnrn SIMON.

